TILA hangin ang galaw nito sa sobrang bilis. Nakita ko na lamang ang sariling nasa loob ng bisig niya.
“What the! Shut up. I’m not a ghost!” My eyes widened. Panic filled my system as I struggle to get freed from him.“It’s me, Remmington! Calm down!” I can’t!Kung kanina ay natakot ako sa multo, ngayon naman ay sa kaniya na! How can I calm down now that he is holding me?! Bigla ay pumasok sa isipan ko ang nakita sa telebisyon. The news about the woman named Rosey Buenaflor made my whole body trembled in fear. Hinila ko ang kamay niya paalis sa bibig ko at nagtagumpay naman ako.“Get off of me! –” He immediately covered my mouth again when I started shouting.“I will, but you have to calm down. Don’t shout, okay?” At tulad ng sabi niya ay mabilis niya akong binitawan dahilan para lumayo ako kaagad.I just realized then that the reason his face was white was because of the facemask he is wearing. Now that he is close to me, I saw that the white dress I thought the ghost was wearing earlier was a white robe.“Damn… mansyon ko ito pero bakit parang natrato akong magnanakaw bigla? And a ghost? Are ghosts even real?” Ayan na naman siya. He is insulting me again with his words.“It wasn’t my fault that you sneak in behind me—”“Whoa there, woman. Hold your horses. Me? Sneak in? This is my mansion. And I didn’t sneak in because I own everything that is in here. Hindi ko kasalanan na masiyado kang matatakutin. Kung pinailaw mo sana ang kusina ay sana hindi ka bigla na lang manggigising ng mga tao dahil nakakita ka ng multo.” It was dark, but I can clearly imagine him smirking at me.“I didn’t heard your footsteps. Sinong hindi matatakot sa iyo?” balik kong sagot sa kaniya.He suddenly clap his hands twice, and light illuminated the whole area. Nilingon niya ako at tinignan ulit mula ulo hanggang paa.“That’s how I walk.” And then he started walking towards the refrigerator. I pursed my lips when I realized what he said was right. When he walks, there is no sounds of a foot walking. Like he is walking in the air.“So, why are you here in the middle of the night holding a knife? Are you planning to murder someone?” baling niya sa akin pagkatapos niyang kumuha ng malamig na tubig sa ref.I gulped. Well, I want a knife for protection. I couldn’t sleep properly thinking of what I saw earlier, so I thought that maybe hiding a knife under my pillow will somehow make me feel better.Pero hindi ko puwedeng sabihin sa kaniya ito.“I-I’m hungry… I woke up from a dream. In the dream, I was eating some ramen. You know, it really looks delicious because it was Naruto eating it—”“Who’s Naruto? Your boyfriend?” He leaned his back on the refrigerator while raising his brows at me.“He is a character from an Anime. You know, Haikyuu? It’s very famous these days because they just released a movie in Japan and I…” I can’t tell him I went there. I made a sad face. “I couldn’t watch it yet, because the movie is not release here in the Philippines. I need to wait for three to four months and isn’t that sad? Kaya ako nandito. Gusto kong kumain pagkatapos ng panaginip ko kasi nalungkot ako bigla…” dagdag ko sa mahinang boses.I don’t know if it made sense. Just buy my excuse, damn it!“You are good at speaking in English. Did you study?” I wanna go home.Hindi ko matignan si Remmington ng diretso sa mata. Pakiramdam ko ay malalaman niyang nagsisinungaling lang ako.“Y-Yeah. I studied BS Education Major in English. Hindi nga lang umabot ng fourth year. I need to stop because we lack the capability to finance my studies in college. Pero ayos lang naman kasi nakita kong umayos din ang buhay nina Mama noong tumigil ako sa pag-aaral,” sagot ko sa kaniya bago tumalikod para kunin ang naihulog kong kutsilyo kanina.Pumunta ako sa sink para hugasan iyon. Akmang ibabalik ko na ang kutsilyo sa pinaglagyan nito nang magsalita ulit si Remmington na ikinaigtad ko.“Aren’t you going to cook ramen?” he asked. Doon na talaga ako napatitig sa mga mata niya. His brown orbs were staring into me so much, I couldn’t make myself look away.“A-Ano… hindi ba biglaan kang sumulpot?” tanong ko.“Yes, I did. And you got scared and called me a ghost. And so on… so?” Ngumiwi ako.“Noong nagising ako ay medyo wala pa ako sa sarili. I-I think it was because I’m half asleep, but when you came and I got scared – you just woke me up completely. Tapos naalala ko na hindi pala ako marunong… magluto…”Hinintay ko ang reaksyon niya. He stared at me for a second, and then he look away. He covered his mouth using the back of his hand as he chuckled to himself. Ramdam ko bigla ang pamumula ng pisngi ko. This is my first time embarrassing myself in front of someone.At sa harap pa talaga ng lalaking ito.Nang muli siyang humarap sa akin ay namumula na ang mestizo niyang mukha. Basa pa ang gilid ng mata niya dahil sa pagtawa na halos ikinasimangot ko.“Can’t you asked one of your Anime character to cook for you?” he asked, and I finally frowned.“Alis na ako, Sir,” sagot ko pabalik at mabilis na tumalikod pero hinawakan nito ang pulso ko.Napakurap-kurap ako at naramdaman ang biglaang pagtibok ng puso ko.“I’m just kidding. Well, you just got lucky because I know how to cook. So, do you still want some ramen? Oh, wait. I’m not accepting no, since you really have to eat ramen. I don’t know how to comfort sad people, so let’s deal with that. Shall we?” Gamit ang libre niyang kamay ay inilahad niya sa akin ang stool sa kitchen.Muli akong napalunok. I am supposed to avoid him. Now, what am I doing? Why am I hanging out with him at the kitchen in the middle of the night?“ANG malas ko talaga kagabi!” bulalas ni Lera habang naghuhugas ng mga pinggan. “Anong nangyari na naman ba?” tanong ni Sheena. “Nanaginip kasi ako kagabi. Kasama ko ang crush ko na si Jungkook tapos mag-k-kiss na dapat kami noong biglang may narinig akong sigaw. Parang tinatawag si Manang Gina—” Mabilis akong naubo pagkatapos mabilaukan. Mabilis na lumapit sa akin si Sheena. “Dahan-dahan lang, Honey. Ayos ka lang ba, ha?” Naibaba ko ang hawak na baso ng tubig para lang tapikin ang dibdib ko. “O-Oo, ayos lang… nagulat lang,” mahina kong sabi sabay iwas ng tingin. “Naku, uhaw na uhaw ka ba, Honey?” naiiling na sabi ni Lera pagkatapos ay ngumiti. “So, ayon nga at narinig kong may sumisigaw ng pangalan ni Manang Gina kaya nagising ako ng kaonti—” “Ah, diligan ko muna ang mga tanim sa harden. Mauna na ako sa inyo,” singit ko at tumalikod kaagad pero nabangga ako sa isang matigas na bagay. “Anong mayroon dito?” The hard thing I bumped into vibrated when that person asked. Doon ko n
I’M DOOMED.Hindi ko inisip na mangyayari ang bagay na ito dahil hindi naman ako kahit kailan na-attract sa iba. And I’m not used to how my body reacts to him. It feels so hot every time he is near me. Pakiramdam ko ay bibigay agad ako kapag inaya niya ako sa kama. Which I can’t let happen. I have a boyfriend. William is my long-time boyfriend for six years. I’m already twenty-five and just waiting to be freed from my family’s caged, then I will asked William to marry me. We will have a family, and children. Iyon ang plano ko simula pa lang noon. Iyon ang gusto kong mangyari, pero nagkandaloko-loko lahat ng gusto ko dahil lang ipinadala nila ako rito sa mansyon ni Remmington. “So? How was it? Is he hot?” tanong ni Rona. She’s on the phone, as I tried to hide myself inside the bathroom for privacy. “Stop it, Rona. I need your help. Please, gawan mo ng paraan para mapapayag sila. Kailangan kong makaalis dito, Rona. Mababaliw ako kapag ipinagpatuloy ko ito,” bulong ko sa kaniya habang
“NAPANSIN ninyo? Parang hindi na masiyado umaalis si Sir Rem dito sa mansyon,” bigla ay sabi ni Lera. Sabay kaming lumingon ni Sheena kay Remmington na nandoon sa sala. Kausap nito si Mics, pero mula rito sa kinatatayuan namin ay wala kaming marinig na kahit ano. “Baka wala na siyang trabaho sa ibang bansa,” sagot ni Sheena pero umiling agad si Lera.“Narinig ko kayang nagreklamo si Mics kahapon. Ang rami raw kasing tumatawag kay Sir Rem mula sa ibang bansa. Gusto raw siyang makausap at ma-meet sa personal, pero sinasabi lang ni Sir Rem na marami pa raw siyang gagawin dito. Iyon nga lang ay sinabi sa akin ni Mics na wala naman daw talagang trabaho si Sir Rem dito sa Pilipinas masiyado. Ang pinakahuli ata ay iyong sa pinagawa niyang beach resort sa Pangasinan,” sunod-sunod na sabi ni Lera. Lumingon pa ito kay Remmington bago niya tinitigan ng mariin ang lalaki. “Hindi kaya ay dahil sa nangyari roon sa nagpapanggap na maid? Naaapektuhan ba si Sir Rem sa mga fake news na kinalat ng ba
“I TOLD you she was a bad news, Remmington. Look at you now, if people learns that what that woman said was really true then you will lost everything that you have. Even if she dies, she will still have the last laugh,” my cousin, Harvien Kavanagh, uttered with dismay on his face. I chuckled at that. “I don’t really give a fuck if she gets the last laugh, as long as she dies,” malamig kong turan dito.Hindi ako makapaniwala sa nangyari. That woman, Rosey Buenaflor, was a spy brought by a magazine company! She tried to get into our mansion to actually learn more things about me. To unveil the mask I’ve been wearing ever since, but that was a wrong move on her part. Getting caught in my studies, and her writing in her blog about my real identity is actually her calling for death. “Kapag may ginawa ka ngayon ay lalong pagdududahan ka ng lahat. They will think that you killed her to shut her up. You shouldn’t move unless the issue dies--”“I can’t wait until the issue dies, Harvien. I ne
“SIR!” she called. Agarang naglumikot ang mga mata niya habang ang kaniyang mga kamay ay mabilis na tinakpan ang kaniyang sarili. Pero huli na ang lahat dahil nakita ko na.She was wearing something so alluring in the middle of the night, that I was actually glad that I found her here first. Dahil paniguradong mabubulag ang kung sino mang titingin sa kaniya habang ito ang suot niyang damit.My smirk grew wider. “Hindi mo kailangang takpan. It’s actually hot... it suits you,” pabiro kong sabi na ikinasama ng tingin niya sa akin.“Bakit po kayo nandito? Akala ko ay bukas pa po kayo uuwi?” tanong niya. I am supposed to be offended by how she asked me, but I am more amused than offended. No one have ever asked me questions like she does it. “Tinapos ko agad kasi namimiss kita,” sagot ko sa kaniya. Natawa ako ng mas lalong nasira ang ekpresyon ng mukha niya. She rolled her eyes at me. Hindi ito tulad ng pinapakita niyang personalidad sa iba. She was more beautiful this way. Nagagandahan
“INIIWASAN niya ba ako?” tanong ko kay Mics na nasa likod ko lang. Abala ako sa pagtitig kay Honey na hindi lumilingon sa akin simula pa kanina. Nothing happened in between us. I respect her, so I didn’t dare to touch her while she was asleep in my bed. In fact, all I did was to stare at her until I was satisfied -- and that means until morning came. Nang magising siya ay mabilis siyang umalis sa kuwarto ko ng walang sinasabing kahit ano. She ran away from me just like that. And ever since I came down to the sala, she did all sort of things just to avoid me. Iyon ang sa tingin ko. “Sinong tinutukoy mo, boss? May problema ho ba?” Nag-angat ako ng tingin kay Mics na hindi naintindihan kung sino ang pinag-uusapan namin. Hindi ako sumagot at umiwas na lang ng tingin. Pero kalaunan ay hindi ako matahimik kaya muli akong nagtanong.“How do you asked for someone’s attention, Mics? Especially, a woman’s attention. Did you asked for it directly? Or text it? Or probably write it in a piece
“ANO na, Remmington? May balak ka pa bang lumabas sa lungga mo?” the person on the other line, Harvien Kavanagh, asked. Ilang beses na niya akong tinawagan para lang alamin kung buhay pa ba ako o matagal ng nakabaon sa libingan ko. “What do you want?” tanong ko sa kaniya. “And don’t think of saying excuses. I know you you are just fooling around every time you said that you just want to check if I’m breathing or not,” dagdag ko pa. My cousin laugh.Siya lang ang nag-iisa kong pinsan na kasundo ko. He is my first degree cousin in my biological mother’s side. I found him here in the Philippines as a beggar on the street. Dala-dala niya ang apelyido ng kaniyang Ama na iniwan sila noon para sa ibang babae. I took him in when I learned that his mother, which was my mother’s sister -- left him too because she can’t feed him. Unfortunately, our mothers were both prostitute in a club. That is where they also meet our fathers and had us. Kaya sa lahat ng mga taong malapit sa akin ay si Harvi
“I DON’T plan to cheat on him with someone like you.” My own words echoed in my mind for the fourth time since the moment I left his room. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nakaramdam ako ng konsensya pagkatapos ko iyong sabihin sa kaniya. Alam kong hindi niya kasalanan ang nangyari sa aming dalawa. I let him do it, and didn’t do anything other than saying stop. I was still moaning his name even after that, so it wasn’t just his fault but mine too. Pero hindi ko magawang aminin sa sarili ko na may kasalanan ako. Na may ginawa akong mali. It wasn’t his fault, but mine. I was the one who cheated on my boyfriend the moment I moaned his name because of the pleasure building up inside me at that heated scene. “Girls! May narinig ako kanina! Hindi kayo maniniwala!” bungad agad ni Lera nang makapasok siya sa kusina. Lumingon-lingon pa siya sa likod niya habang abala naman kaming dalawa ni Sheena sa pagluluto.I mean, abala si Sheena sa pagluluto. I was only washing some fresh ingredients as per t